


Family Isn't Always Blood

by bobbersbme



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: All Human, Alternate Universe - Human, Foster Family, Found Family, Isaac Lahey's Past Abuse, Lacrosse rivals, Lori Rohr - Freeform, Lorilee Rohr - Freeform, M/M, Meeting the Family, Not Beta Read, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Thats not Lori's Name!, anxious, no beta we die like men, siblings are always willing to make fun of you, supportive family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:21:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29174811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobbersbme/pseuds/bobbersbme
Summary: Isaac is having a meltdown over an official family dinner with his boyfriends family.
Relationships: Isaac Lahey/Brett Talbot
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Family Isn't Always Blood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RhysLahey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RhysLahey/gifts).



> Teen Wolf is literally all I know about Lacrosse, so I apologize if the terminology is wrong.

Isaac couldn’t tell you exactly how long he’d been dating Brett. Well, okay, he could tell you how long he’d been dating Brett officially, but ‘dating’ and DATING were two very big things. Mostly that was Scott’s fault, god, he’d been pretty much seeing the rival lacrosse captain almost the whole of their junior year, but according to Scott, his foster brother and lacrosse captain of their school’s team, it didn’t count, because they didn’t have ‘the talk’ until the summer before senior year. For that first year, it had been mostly physical, which included Isaac coming to terms with his sexuality being a hell of a lot more fluid than he thought when he was dating Allison. Oh, Isaac didn’t blame Ali, or Scott, bout everything that happened between those two. Having your ex-girlfriend almost die in your arms after that car wreck had bonded them to the point where Isaac had known the instant he saw how Ali and Scott looked at each other when she woke up from her medically induced coma, that they were always going to be destined. That look had had some soulmate level intensity right there if you believed in that kind of thing anyway. At least the pair had been honest with both Kira and himself, enough that they were all still really good friends, helped that Kira was dating Malia now, and Isaac, well he’d taken one look across the field at the rival team’s lacrosse captain during their first scrimmage Junior year, and god, damn.

Between trying to kick each other’s ass on the field, and meeting up at Sinema as if they weren’t ribbed by the rest of their teammates for being involved with the enemy, their relationship had evolved into something that Isaac never wanted to be without. 

Now, with their senior year coming to an end, they were planning for college, and it was a big thing considering Isaac and Brett had been lucky enough to be accepted into the same one. UCLA here they come. There was also the fact that they had scored some pretty fantastic scholarships, ones that would allow them to not only attend the same college but even play on the same team next year. All they had left to figure out was whether they would be dealing with dorms or if they’d be able to pool enough money to rent a place together. Isaac was all for living together, and not just because the thought of dealing with a random dorm mate and having his time with Brett limited was not something he was looking forward to in the least. 

That is what led to tonight.

Somehow in the two years that they’d been seeing each other, one year if you asked Scott, Isaac didn’t, but his foster brother was a stickler sometimes. He loved Scott though, he did, after his father had been arrested during his sophomore year, only to be killed before he even got to trial, Melissa and Scott had taken him in. Hell, Melissa had even looked into adopting him properly at one point, but the time it would have taken, he’d have been eighteen before it got anywhere decent, but that didn’t mean they were any less his family.

So, in the two years he’d been dating Brett, he had yet to meet his boyfriend’s family, properly anyway. There were passing moments after lacrosse games that he’d seen Lori, and a wave or hello to Brett’s foster mother Satomi, but to meet them with an official introduction, not yet, and turned out to be the one request that Satomi had made when she offered to be their guarantor on their rental application. They already had found the perfect place, and with her help, it would increase their chances exponentially. 

Dinner with the family. Sure, he’d had short moments with Satomi and Lori before, but to actually sit down and properly have dinner with Brett’s foster mother and sister, it was causing him to feel rather, well, he was completely panicking. Satomi probably already hated him! Hell, it took them needing her to help them, that this was happening, and really, Isaac felt so guilty about that, this should have happened ages ago. It shouldn’t have come to them needing money for him to finally meet them, so he needed to make a fucking _exceptional_ impression so she didn’t think he was some deadbeat her son was dating. The fact that both Brett had technically aged out was never brought up, Satomi had been both Brett and Lori’s foster mother for years, and Isaac knew without even meeting the woman, that she wasn’t the type to just abandon them the moment they turned eighteen. How did he know? One conversation with Brett about his family, the way he talked about his sister, Satomi, his foster siblings, it said it all.

Standing in his bedroom, he was trying to fix his tie, but the damn thing just refused to sit straight. It was stupid, he hadn’t had this much trouble with the tie he wore to prom, this one just, it was damaged or something, it was, it was just,

“Wrong. Dammit.”

Giving up he pulled at the knot to undo the tie roughly before he whipped it off his collar with a growl. Why couldn’t he just wear a scarf, those were so much better, not this damn tie. 

“Don’t need a tie, that’s fine, no tie.”

“Isaac.”

Bright blue eyes were drawn to the open door of his room where Scott was leaning against the frame with that smile that was all bright and sunshine. His foster brother was like an overgrown puppy sometimes with how all it took was a look to cheer you up, and that was even without those big wide eyes when he got upset.

“Man you need to calm down, you got this.”

Scott moved into the room reaching for one of the multiple ties that Isaac had been struggling to choose from even before his disaster of trying to get the one he picked worked. Handing over one of the one he hadn’t chosen to Isaac,

“You’re panicking over nothing, Brett wouldn’t be taking you to have dinner with his family if he didn’t think they’d approve. You know how protective he is of them.”

That, did NOT help Isaac right then at all, as it just made him think about the fact it had taken him this long to get to this point, what if Brett was second-guessing and that was why he’d never been invited like this before? Taking in a deep breath as he shook his head, 

“Not helping Scott, that could be the problem in the first place.”

Still, he dutifully slid the tie around the back of his neck again with a sigh, he knew Scott was trying to help, but Isaac didn’t think there was anything anyone could say tonight that would do anything to ease his frayed nerves.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Brett is hopeless for you.”

Considering everyone knew that Brett used to be quite the playboy before he’d started dating Isaac, very well known at the clubs, some were surprised that the other boy had become so involved with one person. Might be why it had taken Isaac so long, and a kick in the pants from Scott, to actually make things ‘official’ with Brett and all. He’d been terrified of becoming, well, boring. Obviously, that hadn’t happened.

“It’s not Brett I have to impress, it’s Satomi and Lori, and let’s face it, there is more on the line than just where we’ll live during college.”

If it turned out that they didn’t like him, Isaac could bet that his chances of Brett staying with him were zilch. Even if he’d survived not boring him, Brett’s family was everything to him, everything. Hell, the only reason he’d learned to play lacrosse was to get scholarships for Lori and himself into that fancy prep school that Brett played for. Tonight could make and break not only where he’d live for the next four years, but, his whole relationship.

Groaning as he got frustrated with this next tie just as he had the first one, only this time as he went to try and rip it off, there was another set of hands reaching for the strip of cloth, taking over fixing it, expertly. It wasn’t Scott.

Allison.

“Satomi and Lori already love you, want to know how I know that Isaac? Because he loves you, and because you make him happy. Remember when we first met Brett?”

Looking between Ali and Scott, Scott’s grin wide and bright as he looked from his brother to his girlfriend as she spoke, that damn besotted look, did he look like that with Brett, did it?

“He was Liam’s worst enemy, and all we knew about him was the fact that thanks to that, he’d started some rivalry between his team and ours.”

Beacon Hills vs Devenford Prep, the two years that they’d gone head to head, they were the worst rivals, both teams sort to thrash the other, and both teams not giving any quarter. In those two years, they’d come out on top pretty evenly to the point that more than once his teammates had accused Isaac with slipping Brett their plays. Scott never did though, Liam yes, but not Scott. Liam had even tried to convince Isaac to spy on Devenford, the cheek!

“But because of the way you always got that smile when you talked about him, how not even Liam ranting about how heinous Brett was couldn’t even get you down, we knew. We knew he was worth something if he could make you smile like that.”

Didn’t stop Scott and Stiles both from giving Brett the shovel talk though. First, it had been Scott, and Isaac had been embarrassed as hell about it, but then Stiles had jumped on the bandwagon and piled on a week later. According to Stiles, they all KNEW, that Scott wouldn’t actually follow through with his threats, and what was threatening about his puppy dog smiles? Nothing. So Stiles had decided to do the job and make sure Brett knew exactly what would happen if he didn’t man up and treat Isaac right.

What was this, the regency era? Why not put together some dowry for him next!

“See man, Satomi and Lori are going to love you.”

Sighing, Isaac nodded slowly, maybe he’d have to prepare himself for the shovel talk next.

“Yea, yea your right, right, I’m good.”

Taking in a deep breath, he was dressed nice, his tie was right, thanks to Allison, he could do this, he could.

“I can do this.”

Slipping the small palm-sized cards out of his pocket, as he mumbled to himself, looking down to them,

“I can do this.”

Flicking through the cards, Scott and Ali looked towards each other, Isaac was so focused on the cards he didn’t even notice.

“Ah, Isaac, buddy, what are those?”

“Hmm?” 

Looking up from the cards to Scott at his name only for his brother to nod to the cards in his hand,

“Oh, well, talking points. I asked Kira to see if her mum could give me some ideas of what subjects Satomi might be interested in.”

Isaac grinned, it was perfect, he’d done some research on the subjects even to make up these cards and hopefully try to sound like he knew what he was talking about with her. The way Scott raised his eyebrows as he looked to him with that smile, he knew that smile, it had been the same smile he got when Scott through he was being ridiculous about not talking to Brett about making things ‘official’ and all.

“What? Why?”

Looking from Scott to Ali and now she had a similar smile, come on now, before Ali went and plucked the cards from his hands and then just tossing them aside like they were nothing, but they were important!

“Wait, no! I need those!”

“No, no you don’t man.”

Scott proceeded to claim both his hands on Isaac’s shoulders,

“You just need to be yourself. Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?”

Isaac looked at Scott, oh the things he’d almost gotten caught for over the years, that was not what Scott should be asking him, looking him dead in the eye,

“Yes, yes you have.”

The almost betrayed looked from Scott only grew worse when Allison started laughing, you’d think they’d kicked his puppy,

“Alright alright, but in my defence, those were Stiles’ ideas.”

And, it was usually Stiles that always got them out of trouble at the same time, so, he supposed Isaac had to give props where it was due.

Looking at the pair, the only person missing right now was Melissa, and she’d already passed on her encouragement in the form of a hug before she left for her shift at the hospital. If she wasn’t working, she’d probably be right here too, telling Isaac he was going t be fine. Taking in a deep breath, 

“Fine, but if this goes badly, I’m warning you, I’ll end up sleeping on your couch at some point, mark my words.”

Not that either of them got a chance to reply when the doorbell sounded and Isaac took one last look at the mirror, of course, Allison had fixed his tie perfectly, how, how the hell did she do that? She didn’t even have to wear the damn things! Shaking his head, never mind, Brett was here.

Making his way downstairs faster than he might like to admit with his anxious feelings for the night ahead, but there was always one part he’d never be nervous about, seeing Brett. Thankfully, Scott and Allison hadn’t followed him down, as to which one had that idea he didn’t know, but he was already nervous enough, let alone having someone looking over his shoulder. Opening the door, there was that feeling, that feeling akin to euphoria at seeing that bright smile on his boyfriend’s face. Some people, (Liam), claimed it was just smug, but some people, (Liam), just didn’t seem to know when to shut up sometimes. Not like Isaac had ever punched Theo in the face when the bastard had gotten on his nerves, so he could shove it. Letting him in for the moment, even if they were going to be leaving in a sec, he had to grab his jacket anyway.

“Hey Baby.”

Isaac immediately returned the smile, while all his worries didn’t just magically disappear, Brett was more than worth every single one of them.

“Heyas Gorgeous.”

Isaac smiled as he leaned towards his boyfriend as the door closed behind him, pressing their lips together. 

Brett’s breath hitched and his hands reached for Isaac’s waist as he kissed him. It felt like forever since he’d embraced him like this, shifting to press closer as he deepened the kiss. Never mind it was really only yesterday that they’d last seen each other, and they’d even talked this morning over the phone before Isaac had headed to work at the cafe and he had his own errands to run. As the kiss parted, Brett’s forehead rested against his boyfriend’s with a sigh. A kiss like that, and he’d get through the dinner riding a high he was sure of it.

“Scott texted, said you were having a meltdown.”

The embarrassed groan that Isaac tried, and half failed, to strangle in his throat, prompted a chuckle from Brett, and his reply while aimed for Scott worked just as well for his boyfriend laughing at him.

“Traitor.”

Lifting his head as he looked to Brett, who was grinning at him like he was a little angel.

“Not like you were any different when you met Melissa.”

Not that Brett meeting Melissa had been planned like tonight was. A bit of an accident had landed Isaac in the hospital one weekend and Brett right there with him, he’d gotten a right talking to from Melissa, and that had been putting it kindly. Not that it had been Brett’s fault, but considering how many times Melissa had already seen Isaac in the hospital thanks to his dad over the years, she’d been concerned about him ending up there beside his boyfriend. That hadn’t been something that boded well to her. Again, the accident hadn’t been Brett’s fault, once both Isaac AND Scott had sworn to that, Melissa had backed down.

“That was an entirely different situation Ise. She thought I was an asshole that was going to beat the shit out of you, and if she’d been anything short of terrifying about that I’d be disappointed.”

Absolutely appalled really, considering the circumstances. The fact that she’d been so terrifying when she confronted him that day just helped Brett respect the woman all the more when it came to her involvement in Isaac’s life. She’d seen him go through so much with his father and stood by him even after he refused to speak to the authorities about what he did for so long, and when everything went down, took him in as part of her family. She was amazing with Isaac, and yes, intensely protective of him just as she was her birth son, Scott. There was no mistaking Isaac was her son, even if not legally.

“Okay fair, but, I just, I feel like I should have made it a point to have met Satomi properly before now. Like she’ll think I’m only doing it to get something from her.”

Probably seemed like that, Isaac wasn’t stupid, it did.

“I mean, I know how protective you are of your family.”

Isaac’s voice was careful as he glanced away slightly as if didn’t want Brett to see the worry in his eyes. The worry stemmed from the thought that Brett hadn’t wanted him to be there, to be around his family. Problem was, glance away or now, Brett could read him like a book, and what he was seeing, clenched at his heart. He should have realised how this might seem before now, and it was nothing like what Isaac was thinking.

“Ise, baby, that’s not,”

Sighing, 

“Some of my foster siblings aren’t always so, understanding.”

As Isaac’s eyes met his, Brett looked into those crystal bright blue eyes, tall sandy blonde and blue eyes, who could say which one of them a person was talking about with a glance, but Isacc’s hair was always a bit more unruly, his eyes a little bit brighter.

“What?”

He wasn’t getting what Brett was saying, and as much as Brett had never wanted to bring it up, he didn’t want his boyfriend thinking he was anything less than ecstatic to have his family all together tonight, which included Isaac, had for some time.

“I mean, they’re great and all, but they’re rough, and they can be assholes sometimes. Not my kind of asshole style, you know, the loveable kind.”

Isaac shouldn’t smirk at that, but he did, only Brett would actually admit to being an asshole and loveable in the same sentence. Hey, they could both be assholes like that sometimes, ribbing at each other for whatever reasons, they could push each other's buttons as much as soothe them. Then again, wasn’t that any relationship? At least theirs was anyway, and Isaac didn’t think he’d believe in it as much if they were Stepford wife style perfect.

“I didn’t want you to get caught up in it, not, with how… how your dad used to treat you?”

Oh, OH.

Isaac’s head bent forward to press his forehead to Brett’s shoulder as his boyfriend pulled him closer, arms wrapped around him tightly. He’d been living here just a couple of months when he’d met Brett, and sure he hadn’t been nearly as bad as when he’d still been in his childhood home, with the man that had both abused him physically and emotionally, he still hadn’t been nearly as confident. Outwardly Isaac had this thick skin, but it was far from perfect and healing took time. He didn’t like to admit it, but there were still moments, days when he didn’t believe that he wasn’t everything his father had beaten into him for years.

So here he was thinking Brett’s protective instinct was keeping him from his family, when, really it was him protecting Isaac from some of the kids that were connected to those he considered his family. Isaac was lucky living with Melissa, it was just him and Scott, not other kids, that, from the things Brett had told him, came and went. Just cause they weren’t bad kids, doesn’t mean they were always, understanding.

Holding him close, Brett’s hand lifted from Isaac’s waist to curl around the back of his neck gently, brushing his fingers into those gorgeous blonde curls, messaging them up from the way Isaac had tried to tame them for dinner tonight. It was always a sure-fire way to calm his boyfriend, and as much as he hadn’t wanted to bring up the subject tonight, reminding him, he didn’t want Isaac to spend the night wondering about Brett’s motives when it came to not having him at the house a lot. His foster siblings were fine, some of them had been through dark places just like Isaac had, but that didn’t mean they were very careful when it came to their effects on others. Sometimes, experiences like his, it just made you cruel, and Isaac, he was never cruel like that, it was something Brett loved about him.

Smiling softly as Isaac lifted his head from his shoulder, Brett pressed a quick soft kiss to the side of his forehead as he did. His smile grew at the soft blush spreading across his boyfriend’s cheeks when his lips brushed across his temple.

“Alright then, I’m just going to grab my jacket and then I’ll be ready to face the wolves.”

Another soft chuckle escaped him as he let his hands slip from around Isaac, 

“I’ll go start the car.”

Brett had come to pick Isaac up considering it was a twenty-minute drive, longer on Isaac’s bike from here to his house, and Melissa had needed the car tonight, which was just fine for Brett. He was more than happy to pick him up, more reason to get him all to himself after dinner, whom unlike Isaac wasn’t worried at all about how it was going to go tonight. Lori might not have spent a lot of time with Isaac, but she liked him, he knew that already, and Satomi had heard plenty about him herself, from Brett. 

The trip to Brett’s house was easy. Talking about school, work, practices. Despite what their teammates seemed to think they could, in fact, talk about lacrosse without giving away team secrets, not that it mattered much anymore with the season over as of last week. No, they were not going to argue about who won, who got the most goals and assists over the season. They’d done that last week. As they pulled into the drive, Isaac was feeling more at ease and relaxed than he had all day, despite Scott and Allison’s attempts to ease his nerves. They had done an excellent job in trying, and knowing they were supporting him did help, but Brett was better. 

As the car came to a stop, Brett looked over to Isaac as they unbuckled,

“You ready for this Baby?”

While he was barely able to function while he was getting ready, couldn't even tie his damn tie, he was ready. Grinning as he looked to Brett now,

“Ready as I’ll ever be Gorgeous.”

He was still nervous, but even when he was having his meltdown earlier, he was always going to be right here with Brett. Isaac had let so much stop him before, but not tonight. Climbing out of the car, making their way up the path, Isaac and Brett’s fingers entwined as they approached the porch. Before they could even get to the door it was flying open and right there was Lori, with her blonde hair and bright smile that rivalled her brothers.

“There they are, dinner’s almost done, hurry up and get your asses inside. You’re late!”

“We are not!”

Isaac had to laugh as the exchange between the siblings only for Lori to grab at Isaac’s free arm to pull him away from her brother and into the house, Brett following along behind.

“Momma Ito, they’re finally here.”

“No need to yell Lori, go wash up kids.”

Hearing her from the kitchen, Isaac was torn between going to offer to see if she needed any help with dinner and going to do what he was told. Of course remembering what Brett told him about Satomi, that no matter how much she looked like a sweet old lady, she’d kick your ass for disobeying her, he went with the washing up instructions. Same with Brett and Lori, it was a safe bet.

As they came back to the dining room, Satomi was setting out the massive dish that was their dinner, ready to be dished out, more than enough for the four of them, including two teenage boys, not that either of them needed more growing. When that comment came up as they were sitting down at the table, it made Lori just laughed,

“Are you kidding, I still say that Brett just looked across the field at the rival team saw the tall one and said, ‘That one, he’s mine.’”

Isaac had to laugh at that himself,

“Hell, it was a running bet that he just got tired having to lean down for those forehead kisses he likes to give so much. Jokes on him, he’s stuck with me now.”

As Brett looked over to him, that bright grin that was like the sun coming out from the doomsday clouds that had been surrounded by his boyfriend today,

“I like this one Brett, don’t let him go.”

Now it was his turn to grin hearing his foster mother’s words, he already knew she would love Isaac, and despite what Isaac thought, this wasn’t about an interrogation, it was about family.

“Oh, I don’t intend to.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you've enjoyed this rarepair, gotta love these two pretty boys!
> 
> Kudos and Comments are love!
> 
> Moodboard companion for this fic can be found [here](https://bobbersb-fandomfun.tumblr.com/post/642274258561728512/isett-moodboard-companion-to-my-fic-family-isnt) at my tumblr [bobbersb-fandomfun](https://bobbersb-fandomfun.tumblr.com). Feel free to hit me up on tumblr with prompts for these boys, I might be inspired :P


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